Related Stories

Related attachment(s)

The Calgary Flames hit new territory in that cliche of life with a fourth straight sub-par start to a game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks are too good of a team for the Flames to yet again limp out of the blocks and expect to win, as was the case in the first three games of this road trip to nowhere.

They paid the price with a 4-2 setback Sunday night in the Windy City and ended their four-game road trip with a pair of points coming from extra-time defeats.

“It doesn’t matter how many games we’ve played recently or what kind of road trip you’re on,” said Flames defenceman Chris Butler.

“It doesn’t matter what building you’re playing in. It’s our responsibility to be ready for the game, and we weren’t tonight.”

The Blackhawks may not have the roster depth that helped them storm to the 2010 Stanley Cup title, but they have reloaded nicely and are flexing their muscles with a five-game winning streak that’s vaulted them to the top of the NHL standings.

Even at their best, the Flames (14-15-4) are going to be in tough to beat the Hawks, but the frenzied United Center crowd of 21,192 watched the visitors hand the local heroes a victory on a silver platter.

Want proof? Just look at the shot clock.

The Flames fired just three pucks on goal in the opening period.

Things didn’t get much better before the second intermission, at which the hosts had a 3-0 lead thanks to goals by former Flames blueliner Steve Montador, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Patrick Kane.

“For the first two periods, we weren’t very good. I’m not going to stand here and say we deserved to win the game, because we never did,” Flames head coach Brent Sutter said after the contest.

“You can’t play 40 minutes of hockey like that, have seven shots on net in the first 35 minutes of a game — a lot of your top guys don’t have a shot on net, yet — and think you’ll have a chance to win. At this level, you can’t play that way.

“Of all four of these games on the road, this was certainly the most disappointing effort we had.”

Powerplay goals by Olli Jokinen and Curtis Glencross in the third period made it a more respectable final score, but at that point the Blackhawks were home and cooled, knowing full well they’d dropped the Flames for the eighth straight regular-season game on home ice, 11th counting the three clashes at the Madhouse on Madison during a 2009 playoff series.

The better team won, but the Flames didn’t put up a fight before the result was obvious.

“It’s a team you have to make play in their own end. We made it too easy on them, in general,” said Flames forward Lee Stempniak. “We didn’t finish enough checks, and they were swinging around and picking up speed. Against a team like that, for us to have success, we have to get pucks deep, make them play in their end, really force them out of their comfort zone.

“We didn’t do it.”

The Flames played much of the game without two forwards because Rene Bourque was banished late in the first period for hitting Brent Seabrook from behind and Matt Stajan suffered an ankle injury when he crashed feet-first into the boards in the second period.

Bourque received a major and game misconduct and may face further discipline.

Marian Hossa also scored for the Blackhawks (21-8-4).

The Flames return home for a brief spell to face the Minnesota Wild Tuesday and Detroit Red Wings Thursday.